Loose-leaf binder.



J. L. MOMILLAN.

LOOSE LEAF BINDER.

APFIIUATIUN FILED OUT. 25, 1907.

Patented Jan. 26, 1909.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN L. MCMILLAN, OF SYRACUSE, NEW YORK.

LOOSE-HEAT BINDER.

Bpecifica'tion of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 26, 1909.

Application filed. October 28, 1907. Serial No. 899,431.

features and details hereinafter set forth, the f objects of the invention being to produce a. binder which shall be at once simple and strong; into which leaves may be inserted and from which the may be removed, readily, during the mailing up of the book, as where pages are written and insertedwhich may subsequently be converted into a permanent binder if desired.

In some of its features the binder resembles that set forth in Letters Patent No. 708,065, granted to me under date Se tember 2nd, 1902, notably in the matter 0 converting the temporary into a permanent binder.

The invention is illustrated in the aocomcarrying drnwi'ngfl, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of my imroved binder with portions broken away to better show details of construction; Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken thro h the .back of the binder; Fig. 3 a view ustrating the mode of opening the binder; Fig. 4 a. similar view showing the manner of closing the binder, Fig. 5 a detail showing the manner of lockmg the binder closed; Fig. 6 alongitudinal section through a portion of one of the rod barrels showing the lockingrod in itslockinapgsition; Fig. 7 a perspective view of the 100 5; rod; and Fig. 8 a sectional view on the line 1-4: of Fig. 2, illustrating one mode of uniting the metal and hinders boardof the back.

Specific details of construction may be varied considerably without departing from the spirit of my invention, but in the accompony drawings I have shown an embodiment w ich gives very satisfactory results, and is the preferred form.

In these drawings A indicates a sheet metal backlate of curving or trough shape, the longitui 'nal edges of which are fastened into tubular barrels it provided at intervals with notches or recesses b. In these barrels are seated rods, B, C, of cylindrical form in I cross section, and end to form n 5 Fl 1.

indicates an im sling bar or leaf-car ing member, of whic 1 three are shown in t e drawing. The number may, however, var g as desired, though two at least should ordinaril be used. These bars or members D i are s 'ghtly curved in the direction of their 2 length to correspond. approximately to -the y the outer or front curve described a bound book. Each bar is each laterally bent at one finger-piece c, as shown in l of the leaves of g provided at one end with an eye 0, and at the osite end with a 0 P j which are preferably 5 4, 5 and 7, though it is not essentia that the eves at both ends of the bar or member D be 1 thus slotted. It will be suilicient in some cases to slot theeyes of oneend only, and to employ but one rod with the flattened or reduced portions (1, the leaves bein removed and replaced over the same end 0 each bar or member D.

When the binder is used for recordsheets or leaves, desi zed to constitute record books, it is found advantsgeous to'su ly the binder in the first instance with its fu quota of leaves or sheets; to provide a distinctive leaf at the back and to remove the leaves or sheets one at a time from the front, typewrite thereon the desired record matter, and then app] it to the binder at the back, .repeating tli is operation until the first typewritten sheety retums to-the front. In other words, the leaves are consecutively removed from the front and reenter-ed ct the back until the entire series having been thus transferred, the leaves fall in regular sequence or numerical'order from front to back in their printed form as they were in their original or lank form.

Where this is desired, both the rods B and C will be rovided with the reduced portions d, and t e impaling bars or leaf-carrying members D will have the open or slotted eyes at both ends. When, however, .thismode of handling the leaves is not deemed desirable, and it is for any reason preferred to gradually build up the volume by inserting the leaves in-their-numerical order from the rear toward the forward side of the binder, it will be.-suf ficient to provide vend-ofthe bars or members D connected with the open eyes only at that f are preferably beveled or widened toward the barrel at the rear side of the binder; but i as the rod with the reduced portions will serve equally well as a hinge rod under such conditions, it is deemed preferable to provide both rods with the reduced portions, and to slot the eyes at both ends of the leaf-carrying members, in any and all cases, though feasible, as stated, to provide for connecting and disconnecting at one end only of the bars D.

The slots or lateral openings of the eyes 6,

t e outer side to facilitate the introduction of the flattened or reduced portions (1 of the rods B and C. When it is desired to connect or disconnect the impaling bars or members D to or from the back A, one or the other of the rods B, C, is moved longitudinally to bring the reduced portions at opposite or into the open spaces b of the back A, and 13 then rotated to bring said reduced portions edgewise with reference to the lateral openings of the eyes of the bars or impaling members D as indicated in Figs. 3 and 4. In this position said reduced portions may be freely moved into or out of the eyes.

In order to prevent the accidental withdrawel of the rod, it may be turned a quarter revolution, more or less, so that the major axes of the reduced portions d shall stand cross-wise of, or at right angles to, the open mouths of the eyes of bars D, as shown in Fig. 5. In lieu of, or in addition to such rotation, the rod may be moved longitudinally so as to carry the reduced portions (1 out of register with the openings 1;, and the portions of full diameter into said spaces. The diametc: of the red being greater than the width of the mouths or openings of the eyes, it will, of course, be impossible or the (parts to separate while the rod is in such a justment.

It will thus be seen that if the reduced portions d be kept in pro or angular relation to the eyes to enter an ass out throu h the slotted or open sides 1; ereof, it will e sufficient, in order to release or to unlock the impaling bars or leaf-carrying members D, to simply move the rods lcn hwise a short distance, but that if the ro s be also turned a double lock will be provided which will guard against the accidental detachment of the impaling members, even though the rod be moved longitudinall a considerable distance. It will likewise be observed that it is unnecessar in any case to withdraw the rod entirely mm the barrel, or to move it more than a short distance in the direction of its len h.

It will eseen that whichever rod be moved to unlock or release the bars or impaling members D, the other red will, for the time,

serve as a hinge pin on which said members, or the back A, may swin or move to effect a separation of the unloc ed ends from the binder.

The back A, which is advisably curved to the form of ordinary book-cover backs, is oined by integral tongues g, by eyelets h, or other suitable fastenin to a correspondingly curved strip E of bmders board, as best shown in Figs. 2 and 3, but any convenient mode of attachment may be adopted. This 1 strip E serves as a convenient body to which to attach the leather, cloth, or other material constituting the surface of the binder, and it also affords suitable support for the hubs or projecting ribs usual to the backs of heavy lpoks, particularly books of record and tlie Preferably passing between the curved metal back A and the binders board strip E. is a strip or sheet F of woven material, usu ally some strong linen fabric, which is carried between an inner part i and an outer part j ointly constituting a cover board G, there eing, of course two such cover boards one at either side of the back A. In practice I pfefer also to employ a second strip or sheet of woven fabric, or like flexible material, carrying the same over the back strip E and thence past the barrels a of the curved metal back A, and between the arts 5, j, constitutin the cover board G. his construction is we 1 illustrated in Fig. 2. The fabric serves to produce a strong flexible connection between the back and the cover boards. The usual cover or facing I of leather, binders cloth, or the like, is carried over the back A, E, and glued or otherwise fastened to the back strip E and cover boards G, and this may be extended entirely over the cover board, or separate pieces may be used, acorn-diner tn the style of binding whether fiill cloth, f ull leather, half leather, or the like.

The outer part 7' of the cover boards is stopped at some little distance from the barrels 11 ot the back A, as shown in Fig. 2, thus producing the shoulder usual in such bindings. The cloth strips F and H and the covermg I are carried over the back strip E, and the strips F, H, are then carried between the cover boards '5, j, while the covering I is carried over the shoulder, and to the outer surface of board 1'.

The manner of converting the binder from a temporary into a permanent one is the same as in the patent before mentioned; that is to say, each rod B and C has a circumferential notch k formed a short distance in from the end bearin the fingeriece c to facilitate breaking o of the en of the rod when the binder has been completely filled, and no further occasion exists for permitting removal of a leaf or leaves. When this condition is reached the rod is drawn out until the notch or weakening groove k is out of or slightly beyond the on of the barrel 0., when a. sharp lateral bend will cause the rod to break oil. It is then pushed inward until the new formed end passes a spur Zformed in the barrel a, which spur is then pressed in effect a locking limited movement lon ward by means of any suitable pointed in strument so that its end liesaeross the inte rior of the barrel, and precludes the longitudinal movement of the red. A like spur engages the opposite end. A drop of solder may also be employed to prevent the spur Z from being bent outward, and the rod being thereby madefree to be withdrawn. This, however, constitutes no part of the present invention, and is described merelv for the purpose of making clear the full utility of the present structure, the grome or weakening line serving a useful purpose in indicating the point to which the rod shall be withdrawn in order to bring the reduced portions d oppo site the recesses or openings 11 of the barrel a.

It will be observed that under this construction it is unnecessary to withdraw the rods, or either of them, entirely from the barrels in order to connect and disconnect the binding bars or members D, but that a quite itudinally is sufficient, and that it is possible even to dispense entirely with the longitudinal movement and rely solely upon the rotation of the rod to and unlocking. Because of the stronger lock afforded by the longitudinal movement, and the bringing of the full diameter of the rod within the barrel, it is preferred to provide such longitudinal movement.

As indicated in the drawings, the reduced ortions d of the rod 0 join the portions of oil diameter by beveled or inclined faces, so that shoulders are avoided which might, if present, interfere with the free longitudinal movement of the rod through the eyes f. The outer mouths of the slotted eyes f are preferably reduced portions of the rod C.

While both on account of its' grcater strength and simplicit of construction, it is preferred to form the arrels a integral with the back A, this is not essential, the material point being that the barrels be located at or about the junction of the back and coverboards.

Havin thus described my invention, what I e aim is:

1. In a hinder. the combination with a back and cover boards, of impaling bars or members, hinged at one end at a point near the union of the back and one of the cover boards, and having open-sided eyes at the opposite end and a locking rod located near the junction of the back and the second cover board, and having reduced portions to enter through the slots into the eyes of the impaling bars.

2. In combination with a suitable back and cover boards, leaf-carrying or ilnpaling members pivotally connected at one end to l the binder at or about the junction of the bark and one of the cover boards, and p11 vldcd at their opposite ends with eyes;

beveled to facilitate entering the and a locking rod adapted whenin one position to freely enter said eyes, and when in different position to lock the leaf-carrying or impaling strips to the binder.

3. In a looseeleaf binder, the combination of a back and cover boards; tubular barrels located at or near the junction of the cover boards and the back, and provided with notches or openings; leaf-carrying or impaling members having erforated ends adapted to fit the notches oi said barrels, the eyes at one end having narrow slots or openings extending to the surface of the leaf-carryin member; rods seated in said. barrels an adapted to pass through the eyes of the leaf-carrying members, one of said rods being adapted to car locking portions of the rod into or out of t 0 eyes of the leaf-carrying members through a short longitudinal movement of the rod, and without bodily withdrawing the rod beyond the notches in the barrels.

4. In a loose-leaf binder, the combination with a suitable back and with tubular barrels at opposite edges of such back, provided with notches or recesses; leaf-carrying members of a size to extend from barrel to barrel, and to fit within the notches or recesses therein, the ends of said members being provided with perforations co-axial with the barrels, the perforations at one end having lateral slots or o' enings to the surface; rods. contained wit in the barrels and passing through the 0 es of the leaf-carryin members, one of sai rods having reduced portionsadapted to be brought, through the partial rotation of the rod, into positron to pass through the slots or openings into the openeyes of the leaf-carrying members, and by further, or reverse rotation, to be so positioned as to prevent withdrawal from said eyes.

5. In a loose-leaf binder, the combination of a back having notched and tubular barrels at its opposite edges; leaf-car 'ng or impalin g members hinged at one on to one of said barrels, and provided at the opposite end with eyes having narrow-mouthed slots or openings extending to the surface {and a rod seated in the barrel which receives the free ends of the leaf-carrying members, said rod bein rotatable and having flattened or reduce portions, which in one angular position of the rod may freely enter the open eyes of the leaf-carrying members, but which under a different angular adjustment of the rods are held within and prevented from escaping from said eyes.

6. The hereindescribed binder, comprising a back A provided with tubular barrels (1 having notches b; loaf-can ing or impeding members D adapted to rcac 1 from barrel to barrel and to enter the notches b, said members D being' provided at their ends with slotted eyes; rod B seated within one'of the edges thereof provided with note-hes "b;

leaf-carrying members D provided at oposite ends with eyes, those at one end be mg slotted; :1- rod B seated in one of the barrole a and'bassing throu h the eyes of the leaf-carrying members 1% inserted in the notehes thereof; and a rod C seated in the other of said barrels, provided with reduced portions d, endadapted both to be rotated and to be moved longitudinally within the barrels, substantially as set forth.

8. The herein described loose-leaf binder comprising back A provided with barrels a having notches b; hlnge rod B and looking rod 0; leef-cerr in members D; beck stri E secured to tie aok A; cover boards comprising-inner end onto-1 parts i, and a flexible stri extending from the back A. to the cover oerds nnd seoured thereto.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

JOHN L. MoMILLAN.

VVitn esses'.

E. I. MORAN, L. M. DE CLERCQ. 

